Obesity is a complex chronic disease, not a failure of willpower. When your patient has tried diet modification, structured exercise and pharmacotherapy without sustained success, bariatric surgery deserves a serious conversation.

For referring physicians across the South Carolina Lowcountry, that conversation starts with Novant Health General Surgery & Bariatrics in Beaufort.

Subspecialized bariatric expertise, close to home

Neil McDevitt, MD, brings decades of board-certified surgical experience to a bariatric practice focused on delivering durable, medically meaningful outcomes for patients with obesity. Your patients with obesity rarely arrive with a single concern. They often come with Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular risk, limited mobility and comorbidities that bariatric surgery is uniquely positioned to address.

The orthopedic catch-22

Consider the patient who needs a knee replacement but doesn't qualify because of BMI. Weight compounds the pain, pain limits movement and limited movement compounds the weight. It's a cycle without an exit unless obesity is treated as the primary condition it is.

Bariatric surgery can break that cycle. Gastric bypass patients typically lose 60% to 80% of their excess body weight within 12 to 18 months, often opening a clinical window for orthopedic intervention they couldn't previously access. Referring earlier gives your patients stronger surgical candidacy and better outcomes on both ends.

Metabolic impact beyond the scale

In 70% to 90% of cases, patients experience full Type 2 diabetes remission following gastric bypass, often before significant weight loss has even occurred. The mechanism reflects changes in gut hormone signaling, incretin response and insulin sensitivity that surgery uniquely produces.

For your patients managing poorly controlled diabetes alongside obesity-related comorbidities, bariatric surgery offers something medications alone can't replicate: a durable, physiologic reset.

A multidisciplinary team built around your patient

Your patient's bariatric journey is supported by a dedicated dietitian and therapist, integrated into care before and after surgery. Behavioral readiness and nutritional education aren't afterthoughts. They're core components that improve long-term outcomes and reduce risk.

Neil McDevitt, MD approaches every case with the goal of treating the whole person, not just the number on the scale. A patient lost 200 pounds following gastric bypass under his care, achieved full diabetes remission and was subsequently able to undergo the knee replacement she'd been unable to access for years. Her outcome reflects what's possible when obesity receives the same clinical attention as any other chronic disease.

What referring physicians should know

Patients who may be appropriate for referral include those who:

Novant Health bariatrics: expertise across the Carolinas

Novant Health's bariatric surgery program extends across North Carolina and South Carolina. From Wilmington and Charlotte to the Triad and the South Carolina coast, your patients can access a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to weight loss surgery close to home.